Experimental Drawing & Painting

15 Dec Experimental Drawing & Painting

In September I set up Life Drawing and Experimental Drawing & Painting classes on Fridays at the Paddock Studios in Lewes. It was my first term back teaching after several year’s break, and it was inspiring and invigorating to be teaching art again, supporting the participant’s creative journeys. The two classes were very different from each other. The Experimental Drawing and Painting class on Friday mornings was fully booked, the Life Drawing class on Friday evenings started with 2 students and grew to 5 by the end of the term. Something about Friday evenings, but a small group made for a focused and tailor made course!

In the Experimental Drawing & Painting class we covered a wide range of approaches, and used a variety of materials. The emphasis was on exploring and experimenting, letting go of expectations and relaxing in to the present moment, engaging in conversation with the materials and processes to see where they would take us. We started every session with a pause, a short meditation to ground our awareness in the present and become attuned to all our senses to open to our creativity. We worked with drawing materials, conventional and unconventional, drawing objects we’d collected from nature, drawing in response to music, and drawing from the imagination. We used paint, dripping and pouring and scraping, learnt about colour mixing through making colour wheels. We worked individually and occasionally collaboratively which was great fun! In the second half of the term we worked with mono-printing and collage, expanding the repertoire of techniques to inspire creative projects. I loved the openness and willingness everyone showed to embracing the range of approaches, and the fun we had in the process.

Next term we will continue experimenting using a range of different materials, inspired by a variety of subjects. The course is full but if there is enough interest I may well find another day and venue to set up a second class. Here’s to a creative 2017!